e's only one of those temporary blighters!"

_Colonel_ (_sweetly_). "But isn't that better than being a permanent
blighter?"]

* * * * *

THE BATTLE OF THE PASS.

["This Bill was 'selling the pass.'"--_Sir William Byles, in the House,
on The Military Service Bill_.]

"What though against our sacred front
They muster, miles on miles,
I am resolved to stick the brunt,"
Said bold HORATIUS BYLES;
"For Liberty I'll take my stand,
Just like a stout Berserk,
And still defend with bloody brand
Our glorious Right to Shirk.

"We've SIMON, worth four columns' length;
We've REDMOND, doughty dog;
THOMAS and those twin towers of strength,
PRINGLE and whole-souled HOGGE;
And OUTHWAITE--not our dearest foe,
Bulgar or Bosch or Turk,
Could wish to plant a ruder blow
For Britain's Right to Shirk.

"And, lastly, should the Tyrant storm
The pass for which we fight,
It must be o'er the riddled form
Of Me, the Champion Knight;
Meanwhile, on caitiffs who would keep
The pledge we bade them burke,
My lusty battle-cry shall leap:--
'God and our Right to Shirk!'"

The scrap was over. There he lay
Prone on the reeking grass;
"SIMON," his faint lips strove to say,
"Somebody's sold the pass!"
"True," said the other; "I descry
The NORTHCLIFFE'S hand at work."
"Farewell!" said BYLES; "'tis sweet to die
For Britain's Right to Shirk!"

O.S.

* * * * *

WORLD WARFARE OF THE BRITISH FLEET.

What it has done in 1915.

(_With acknowledgments to Mr. ARCHIBALD HURD in "The Daily Telegraph._")

Superiority, and again Superiority! In this one word lies the secret of
our success at sea. Yet it would be hard to say how many careless
civilians there are, taking all things for granted, who fail to
recognise that fact even now. Not numbers nor organisation, nor men nor
guns nor ships--though these have counted for something--have been
responsible for our victory. It has been due above all to
superiority--sheer superiority.

Think what would have happened if there had been any strategic fumbling
at the opening of the War! It is not pleasant to reflect upon what might
have occurred (had not superiority stepped in) at the very outset if,
for instance, we had sent several _Dreadnoughts_ to catch the _Emden_.
It was strongly suspected, mind you, that there were German armed
vessels o